Context? Multi programme DP school in the first year of the CP with a priority to design a core where 'each element supports and feeds into the others'

Is service learning timetabled? Yes, in the first term, students use timetabled service learning lessons for the research stage and to identify local ethical issue and needs. Research is built in throughout the two year course with a '360' feedback loop with community partners.

Examples of projects?

Key question for success? 'Are the students thinking about what they think the community needs or what the community thinks it needs?'

Context? An IB World School offering the DP and just going through authorisation for the CP with a priority to identify the location and reach of service learning.

What role does research play? The research stage of service learning incorporates explicit reference to Approaches to Teaching and Learning; not just research skills but social, communication, self-management and thinking skills too. Research also involves identifying the best source of expertise; for example students must seek out guidance from someone in the community with local knowledge to carry out accurate risk assessments for a new problem involving data collection for a National Park on the island.
How do you ensure the students are creating relevant service learning experiences? Students must ask themselves 'have you asked what is really needed?' For example a response to helping a local refuge centre was to create a clothing and bedding drive but this resulted in so many donations that the refuge centre had no place to store these effectively. Students spending time to work out where the priorities should be and avoiding the impulse to create a quick fix.
What part does reciprocity and reach play? The school hosts international nights and invites guest speakers from local projects. The school has long term projects that students cannot just slot into without reviewing, revisiting, reimagining or reinventing the oroject. The project may not be new but the learning will be.

Key question for success? 'Have you considered what is REALLY needed?'

Context? Plymouth College of Art started offering the CP in September 2019. Like many schools, their rolling out of this programme has been impacted by the pandemic. As a result service learning has arguably developed in a different but meaningful way. Adaptability has been the key!

What role does research play? The key here is to find a starting point and be willing to adapt to circumstances. Once you have CP2 students they can act as great advocates for service learning and can model their process for CP1 students.

How has the last few years impacted service learning? Students are inspired by their career-related studies experiences. For example, students started their service learning journey designing a mural that would be created in the local community. With the pandemic, this service learning opportunity was paused but not abandoned; it evolved into a digital mural-making opportunity. Students have also developed projects in mask making. The overall effect has been one of making meaningful connections with the local community.

What has been the impact of service learning so far? Service learning requires students to step literally outside the parameters of their CP course. Their career-related studies are of course practical and with real world relevance but the service learning demands creating a direct impact in your local community. What has been most noticeable is the impact of opportunities for smaller projects and individual learning within larger legacy projects.

Key takeaway? The power of the individual. Service learning can create ideas 'of what one individual can achieve'. Seeking that moment when 'the total educational experience is  more than the sum of its parts'

Context?  An established CP programme in a school that has offered the DP for over 20 years, the challenge here was to find new ways for students to be motivated by service learning. When the real world meanings are made clear and opportunities arise for students to be more in touch with the world, it allows students to thrive in the core.

What role does research play? It is not just about finding a starting point. Research is needed the whole way through service learning as a way of continuously identifying needs.
How do students find relevance in their service learning experiences? There have been numerous examples of where students have not found true meaning in the research phase but by putting themselves physically in places with opportunities, their experiences have truly taken off. For example, a group of students working with a local car company, found an opportunity to create a tyre safety campaign to encourage safe changing of summer to winter tyres in the local community. Another example included a student working at a building firm but finding an opportunity to revolutionise they way they classified, recycled and disposed of waste materials.
What has been the impact of service learning so far? Service learning has an impact within the core, the school and the wider community. One student's service learning, language development and reflective project all revolved around the same community project.

Key takeaway?  For students who find motivation and identifying a project they would like to commit to, encourage them to be patient and place themselves in an area where opportunities might identify themselves. 'Build it and they will come'.